Women in the intervention group will be offered breast cancer risk assessment at baseline. Computerized risk assessment is followed by personalized risk tailored health messages. The health messages will also include appropriate recommendations for genetic and psychosocial counseling. Baseline measurements from a questionnaire given prior to the intervention will capture current breast cancer screening practices (mammography, clinical breast exam and self exam), intentions to get mammograms, family discussion of breast cancer, risk perceptions, and breast cancer worry. Important demographic variables and breast cancer risk factors will also be measured. Participants will receive follow up telephone interviews at 1, 6, and 18 months to assess mammography use.

Other: educational intervention

Women in the intervention group will be offered breast cancer risk assessment at baseline. Computerized risk assessment is followed by personalized risk tailored health messages. The health messages will also include appropriate recommendations for genetic and psychosocial counseling. Baseline measurements from a questionnaire given prior to the intervention will capture current breast cancer screening practices (mammography, clinical breast exam and self exam), intentions to get mammograms, family discussion of breast cancer, risk perceptions, and breast cancer worry. Important demographic variables and breast cancer risk factors will also be measured. Participants will receive follow up telephone interviews at 1, 6, and 18 months to assess mammography use.

Procedure: evaluation of cancer risk factors

Women in the intervention group will be offered breast cancer risk assessment at baseline. Computerized risk assessment is followed by personalized risk tailored health messages. The health messages will also include appropriate recommendations for genetic and psychosocial counseling. Baseline measurements from a questionnaire given prior to the intervention will capture current breast cancer screening practices (mammography, clinical breast exam and self exam), intentions to get mammograms, family discussion of breast cancer, risk perceptions, and breast cancer worry. Important demographic variables and breast cancer risk factors will also be measured. Participants will receive follow up telephone interviews at 1, 6, and 18 months to assess mammography use.

Detailed Description:

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

Compare the impact of risk-tailored messages vs standard health information on the outcome of mammography in healthy women.

Participants are approached to complete a baseline survey while they are waiting for their clinic visits. Baseline surveys measure breast cancer risk factors, current breast cancer screening practices, intentions to screen, risk perceptions, breast cancer worry, coping mechanisms, and discussion of breast cancer with relatives. After completion of the baseline surveys, participants are then randomized to 1 of 2 education arms.

Arm I (intervention group): Participants undergo a computerized risk assessment followed by personalized risk-tailored health messages. Health messages are based on principles of the expanded Health Belief Model (HBM). These messages include screening and lifestyle recommendations, information on the seriousness of breast cancer, instructions on how to arrange a mammography appointment, and contact information for genetic and psychosocial counseling.

Arm II (control group): Participants receive generalized breast health information sheets that contain appropriate screening and lifestyle recommendations for the general public and contact information for genetic and psychosocial counseling.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 900 participants will be accrued for this study.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

40 Years and older

Genders Eligible for Study:

Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Yes

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Receiving care at the Women's Health Center gynecology clinic in downtown Richmond, VA or at either the satellite Stony Point or Hayes Willis clinics

No history of breast cancer, including in situ lesions

At least 7 years old at first menarche

No prior genetic counseling or genetic testing for breast cancer

Hormone receptor status not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Female

Menopausal status not specified

Not pregnant

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Not specified

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00416975